This edition: August 2009

Episode Details

Original tape date: August 25, 2009.

A.) First ITALICS goes to a Conference on the State of the Teaching of the Italian Language in Schools in the United States on Levels K-16, and in Continuing Education. The Italian Language Conference was held at the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, and was Hosted by the Italian Ambassador to the US, The Hon. Giovanni Castellaneta. Dean Anthony Tamburri reports on the Conference Proceedings from Washington DC.

B.) Next on ITALICS, we’ll attend a lecture by Edo Zaffarto, a member of AddioPizzo, the community based consumer organization in Palermo, Sicily, which is successfully battling the “pizzo”, or long legacy of mafia extortion of “protection” payments from local merchants. ITALICS Correspondent Lucia Grillo reports from the Wolfe Institute at Brooklyn College/CUNY.

C.) Then ITALICS attends the receptions for “Si Parliamo Italiano?, the new book which asks “Who Speaks Italian?”, written and published by members of the Calandra Institute/CUNY,

D.) ITALICS NEWS BRIEFS will include some new ways and websites where you can see new television programs produced by the Calandra Institute on the Internet and also inform you on important new course offerings in Italian American Studies being taught this semester by Distinguished Professor Fred Gardaphe at Queens College/CUNY.

About this series

Italics, Television for the Italian American Experience is a monthly presentation in the CUNY Presents timeslot, that features prominent Italian-Americans in the arts, business, government, sports, academia, and more. Each episode explores various aspects of the diaspora, Italian American history and traditions, contemporary Italian American life, and takes a projected look at the future of the Italian American community. Italics is now in its third decade serving the Italian-American community and those interested in Italian American history and culture.

Italics is hosted by Anthony Julian Tamburri, Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute of Queens College/CUNY and Professor of Italian & Italian/American Studies,.

Italics is co-produced with the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College/CUNY.